CHRISTIAN" HERALD
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ture life. They lookéd at the set
ting sun, and the great poet said,
,.. 2 Betting, nevertheless the sun is
always the same sun. I am fully
convinced that our spirit is a being
of a nature quite indestructible, and
that its activity continues from
eternity.” There is some thing
about man more substantial than
the body. You see a rainbow drawn
across Niagara Falls. The water
moves, but not the rainbow. What
is the cause of the bow ? Says one
E!«w
if it was the bow would move also.
The water is only the occasion of
the rainbow, and the sun the cause.
The material of man’s body is
changing as do the waters of Nia
gara ; but his spirit is an incorporal
organism which preserves his iden
tity, and beautifies his body as does
the sun the waters of Niagara.
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JUST THINK OF IT I
Just think of what? Why just
think of a people who claim to be
far superior to all other people in
religious knowledge, and who pro
fess to take the Bible, the whole
Bible and nothing but the Bible, as
their rule of faith and practice—a
people who cry so loudly for
“ Christian union,” and a return to
the " old paths,” and who censure
all other religious bodies for their
departures from the word of God,
just think, I sayvof such a people
coming so far short in their own
lives of what the Bible requires of
them, that thousands of them are
actually living • prayerless lives.
There is nothing more clearly
taught in the Bible, or more strong
ly enjoined upon the people of God
than the importance of canstant
prayer. Prayer was a characteris
tic of every eminent saint spoken
of in the Bible. Even the Re
deemer himself found it necessary
to spend much time, even a whole
night, alone in condnunion with
God. And I believe that there is
scarcely any one in our brother
hood to day but who believes it is
■ right and profitable for Christians
.........................
to pray. .. They
believe the “
Bible
■ teaches
this, and that men ought to
pray everywhere, in private, in the
family and in the public assembly,
and yet in view of all this my own
observation teaches me that there
is not one family in every fifty on
this coast where family worship
can be found. In a great majority
of families there is scarcely a chap
ter read in the Bible from one
week’s end to another, or a prayer
sent up to a throne of grace in be
ter and ventured to suggest that he riches does not constitute greatness;
had now preached long enough but it imparts power, enabling the
upon that subject, and had better truly great man to exhibit his great-
changUto^soTO?!thTng~13150. •“Said he* -ness of heart-in acU..X)f lnexcy* ol
to them, “ Brethren, if you have all kindness,of true benevolence. These
repented I will make the change, things Job did extensively. Ho
but if not I intend to continue this sheltered the houseless, warmed by
subject until yod do.” What many clothing the cold and naked around
of the members of our churches with the fleeces of his sheep, of
need to-day is to repent of the which he had seven thousand. He
careless and indifferent lives they was father to the fatherless; never
are living, and begin at home to do ate his meals without the orphans ,
something for the salvation of their shared, and so kind wTas he to the
widow, that it is said he caused
families.
...... .....
We may argue, brethren, unuT their lieart^dringT^]
many young people and others come
into our churches and in a very the day of judgment about the a friend—helper of the poor, and
short time grow cold and fall back soundness of our plea, but it will delivex’ of. the oppressed; and so
into the world again. It is evident avail nothing, unless we show to addicted was he to acts of benevo-.-
ly because they have never been our children, and the world at lence, that the causes he knew not
Jie searcheilQut. _ He acquired and
led by~some fatherly" hand to tlie ta r g e, s o unJUhri s t ian liv es—
throne of grace, and there taught owner of example is worth a pound lived to bless his household and
»
his race; for he turned a deaf ear to
the importance of constant prayer. of precept.
O bserver .
the cries of none, and the otherwise
What can we expect of young
people wlio~ome’ Into tTie^^
friendless..ever..-JEcamd...a^friendJa_
BIBLE TALKS.
him. These things, together with
if they are left to make their way
his superior intelligence, wisdom
as best they can, without our show
BY M. R. LEMERT
and knowledge, gave him a very
ing them, by our example, as well
NUMBER XXII.
great influence; so that he com
as by precept, how to grow in
grace, and how to be strong f So
Upon the supposition that Job manded the respect of all. He sat
fully am I convinced of the impor left Egypt and went to the land of chief and dwelt of a king^when
tance of prayer that I feel sure that .Ur soon after the king of Egypt he went into the city and took a
no child of God will go back into began to oppress the Hebrews, his seat in the street, timid young meh
the werid while hy-keeps up tlxo.
not far fr<
b tunc of* through deference hid themselves
habit of secret prayers.
the birth of Moses, when he himself the old men arose and stood up
And just think of our prayer was about a hundred and forty the princes refrained from talking;
meetings. In churches where we years old. Forty years later, Moses the nobles held their peace; all gave
have over a hundred members the fled to the land of Midian, and mar ear, waited and kept silence for his
prayer meetings will number from ried a daughter of the priest or ‘ counsel, which was received un
six to twenty each week. What is prince of Midian. After his mar questioned ; for after his words,
the cause of this state of things ? riage he kept his father-in-law’s none spoke again. Job 19.
Besides Job’s riches and wisdom,
I believe the fault lies very largely flocks and in doing so he Wandered
at the doors of the preachers and around for pasture as far as the mount his great influence and unbounded
elders in our churches. They are of God, which is Horeb. In pass liberality, he was devout—deeply
not teaching the people their duty ing from Midian, which lies east, •religious—feared and worshiped
upon the subject of prayer, and and south-east of the dead sea, to God, so that God said of him to
what is still worse, some of them mount Horeb, Moses would pass Satan, “ Hast thou considered my
are not praying men themselves. through the land of Ur, which is servant Job, that there is none like
You can find plenty of them who not for from Midian, and as be was him in the earth, a perfect and an
have no family altar in their own forty years in this business he, of upright man, one that feareth God
homes. Their own children do not course frequently called on his and escheweth evil ?” A greater
hear a chapter read or a prayer cousin Job, was familiar with him, enconium could hardly be pro
offered up in their homes from one and with his eventful history. The nounced upon a mortal man—perfet,
week’s end to another. These men love of kin was strong in the Bbra upright, feared God, shuned evil—
are set as shepherds over the flock, hainic family. Esau settled south riches did Job no harm, nor did it
to feed them, and yet they do not of the dead sea. Job in leaving injure his father Abraham, while
even feed the lambs of their own Egypt went to Ur, which was close Ephraim waxed fat and kicked.
households. What is wanted more by, where he could and did have The rule is, “The rich falLinto
than anything else, at the present strong friends and associates among temptation and a snare, and into
time, is a second John the Baptist, his kin; so Moses, in fleeing went many foolish and hurtful lusts
who will go out among the people to the same region of county, where which drown men in destruction
of God and call them to repentance. he doubtless mingled freely with and perdition.” Few can success
I admire the course said to be per his kin, prominent among whom fully resist {he temptations that -
sued by a Methodist preacher who was Job, “ the greatest of all the riches lead into. The prayer, “Give
was sent to a certain charge. His men of the east,” of the country me neither poverty nor riches,” is
first sermon was upon repentance, east of the Red sea Arabia. “ H is not an unwise one. But alas ! too
and for five consecutive Sundays he mighty opulence no rival found, many so love riches, that they will
preached upon the same subject Among the princes of Arabia’s hazard their soul’s salvation for the
enjoyment of riches for a few brief
By this time some of the old mem bound.” Job 1.
True Job was rich, very rich, but.. days!
bers became nervous over the mat
half of those who compose these
families. And from what I have
been able to learn, I fear that the
state of things, among our~people7
in many parts of the East, is little
better. Respecting secret prayer
among people, of course, is difficult
for any one to know how much
that is practiced, but from a close
observation for years I have come
to the conclusion that it is by far
the smallest number of our brethren
who pray even in private. We